How to Simulate an Application Deployment in SCCM 2012 R2

In this post we will look at steps on how to simulate an application deployment in SCCM 2012 R2. So what is this SimulateDeployment feature in SCCM 2012 R2 ?. Typically you use simulated deployments if you want to test the applicability of an application deployment to computers without installing or uninstalling the application.

A simulated deployment evaluates the detection method, requirements and dependencies for a deployment type. Let’s assume that you want to deploy an application to a device collection and you want to know if it deploys correctly, in this case you would make use SimulateDeployment feature. The simulation will evaluate the dependencies, requirement and detection methods of a deployment and report the results in the deployments node of the monitoring work space.

How to Simulate an Application Deployment in SCCM 2012 R2

In this post we will use a simple application named 7-zip x64 bit, and we will use the simulate deployment feature and see how it works. You can choose your own application for trying out simulated deployment. In the Configuration Manager console, click SoftwareLibrary, under ApplicationManagement click Applications.

On the right hand side you will find the list of applications (The application has been already created, to create application from scratch you can check Deploying Applications Using SCCM 2012. Right click the application and click SimulateDeployment.

In the Simulate Application DeploymentWizard, choose the collection and choose the Action as Install.

Note – You cannot deploy an application with a deployment purpose of Uninstall if a simulated deployment of the same application is active.

Click Next and close the wizard.

Let’s see some of the things related to SimulatedDeployment of an application.

Simulated applications appear in the Deployments node of the Monitoring workspace with a purpose of Simulate.

As said earlier, you cannot deploy an application with a deployment purpose of Uninstall if a simulated deployment of the same application is active.

You cannot use simulated deployments for collections of mobile devices.

Click Monitoring, under Deployments choose the application. We see that the Purpose is Simulate and if you look at the CompletionStatistics we see its successful. What happened in the background was the Configuration Manager 2012 R2 clients have processed the application and evaluated the dependencies, requirement and detection methods and have reported back the information to Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Primary Site.

When you right click on the application and click ViewStatus, you will see that the simulated deployment of application is successful.

In this post we have used 7zip 64 bit software for deploying to the Windows7 computers device collection. Now I have another collection named All Windows XP computers which consists of Windows XP 32 bit OS, since the 7zip 64 bit version is not compatible or cannot be installed on 32 bit Windows XP OS, I have performed Simulate Deployment of 7zip 64 bit application to Windows XP device collection just to see what would happen.

If you look at the Completion Statistics of the 7zip x64 application which was deployed to Windows 7 device collection, we see that it was successful.

If you look at the CompletionStatistics of the 7zip x64 application which was deployed to Windows XP device collection, we see it is Unknown.

To look for more information, on the device which is a part of Windows 7 device collection, under PushInformation check the LastStatus and it shows Complete.

On the device which is a part of Windows XP device collection, under PushInformation check the LastStatus and it shows Retry.

Once you complete the above steps you should delete the Simulation Deployment and create a real deployment to a collection with users or devices.